Event

Hola camp was established to house detainees classified as “hard-core.” By January 1959 the camp had a population of 506 detainees of whom 127 were held in a secluded “closed camp.” This more remote camp was reserved for the uncooperative of the detainees. They often refused, even when threats of force were made, to join in the colonial "rehabilitation process" or perform manual labor or obey colonial orders. The camp commandant outlined a plan that would force 88 of the detainees to bend to work. On March 3, 1959, the camp commandant put this plan into action - as a result of which 11 of the detainees were clubbed to death by guards.

Coverup attempts by Britain's colonial officials

The first report to surface about this incident was in the East African Standard. The front-page article reported that ten died at the Hola detention camp. The paper quoted the "official statement" from the colonial authorities: “The men were in...Read More